


Bridging The Gap

by starkind



Series: Three Strong Hearts - A WonderIronBat Collection [2]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Iron Man (Movies), Wonder Woman (Movies - Jenkins)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fusion, Canon Divergence - Avengers (2012), Crossover Pairings, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Established Relationship, F/M, Hurt Tony Stark, Inspired by Fanart, M/M, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Multi, Not Canon Compliant, Polyamory, Protective Bruce Wayne, Protective Diana (Wonder Woman)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-27
Updated: 2020-04-27
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:06:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23877403
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starkind/pseuds/starkind
Summary: If Tony was the light and Bruce was the dark, Diana was the axis they revolved around.Or:A post-battle reunion to provide comfort for various kinds of hurt.
Relationships: Diana (Wonder Woman)/Tony Stark, Diana (Wonder Woman)/Tony Stark/Bruce Wayne
Series: Three Strong Hearts - A WonderIronBat Collection [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1726759
Comments: 34
Kudos: 51





	Bridging The Gap

**Author's Note:**

> Okay, so this came out of nowhere and begged to be written. I've developed some feelings after binge-watching a ton of WonderIron/IronWonder (?) vids YouTube suggested (thank you, YouTube, for feeding into ships I have never considered before), and then a comment from a friend about this being a nice opportunity for an OT3 fic was all it took. 
> 
> I don't know if anyone except me wants to read about WonderIronBat, but I had fun writing it.

The calling tone echoed through the cabin as she steered the Mercedes down the darkened, empty freeway. The line got picked up after the fifth or sixth ring, and the first thing that greeted her was “It was not my fault, and he's a fucking prick.” Her lips curled, though without mirth.

“Good evening to you, too.”

On the other end, Tony snorted into the receiver. “Fair warning, darl: I'm not gonna apologize when he's the one that needs to grovel.” She glimpsed into the rearview mirror before switching lanes as the 'Palisades' exit sign came up. “You know him better than I do, of course.”

In the background, something was being filled with liquid. Then Tony sighed. “I know he's mad 'cause he didn't get a say in this, but all things considered, that was for the best.” She listened to him gulping whatever drink was at his mercy and frowned at the road. “I'm staying the night and I expect you to as well. Sober. And soon.” Before he could say anything else, she disconnected the call and pressed her foot down on the pedal.

The Mercedes complied without protest and surged ahead, off the freeway and onto winding roads. Princess Diana of Themyscira, or Diana Prince to most, never thought her life on earth would turn out the way it did. She would trade it for nothing in the world, even if it was far from what her blue-bloodline Amazonian heritage had foreseen for her.

She had met Tony Stark at an art gala in New York when his 27-year-old self was still a lewd playboy without a care in the world, and she had gotten accustomed to the ways of the 21st century. He had been smitten from the start, she had been amused, and things had led to nothing.

Nearly a decade later, however, things did change.

Tony Stark changed, for the better, and Diana came to learn of his fate and the resulting heroics he started to carry out as Iron Man.

After centuries of protecting and fighting for the people on earth, Diana was drawn to his side again, intrigued by his change of heart. She reentered his life at a point where he struggled with an overall loss of control: From the failed relationship with his assistant over to a life-threatening poisoning from the device in his body, and an urge to succumb to alcoholism.

That was when Diana had stepped in, not taking no for an answer. Her otherworldly healing abilities were able to support him in finding a cure to his poisoning ailment and to implement a stronger version of his reactor into his chest. Once Tony was on the mend and had come to learn about her heritage and powers, he was adamant about keeping her by his side.

Diana fondly remembered many weeks of his wooing and courting strategies until she finally had mercy on him. He was different from her Steve, whom she eventually told him about, but she fell in love with him nonetheless. Tony Stark was smart, charming, charismatic, and a force to be reckoned with. They had been dating for several months when Tony wanted to introduce her to a friend.

A friend who also kept his second identity a secret, like her. Diana instantly agreed. Bruce Wayne, eligible billionaire bachelor from Gotham City, was operating as the vigilante Batman ever since returning from a seven-year absence he had spent traveling eastern Asia. He was five years younger than Tony, and they had known each other since early childhood.

Upon the very first meeting, Diana found the taciturn and stoic Gothamite intriguing and utterly different from Tony's outgoing persona. She came to learn that after Tony's initial admission of being Iron Man, Bruce Wayne had scolded his friend for his recklessness and disregard of his safety many times. His gruff concern and subconscious tries to keep Tony safe from harm instantly warmed Diana's heart.

When Tony hinted at Diana's true nature, Bruce first was perplexed, then mildly relieved. Her revelation played a big part in him finally opening up to her about his secret identity on his own volition, and it strengthened the bond between them more than Diana had thought possible. It did not take long for the three of them to regularly meet for coffee, lunch, or dinner - either in New York, Gotham, or Malibu.

Every time, Bruce was reserved and polite, but with each new meeting, Diana's enhanced senses felt his subtle, underlying longing grow. A longing to belong; to what exactly sadly remained outside her periphery. When Tony eventually confessed to her how his feelings for his Gotham counterpart ran deeper than mere friendship, Diana did not mind, far from it.

Relationships involving more than two people were common on Themyscira, even though they only involved Amazons and no men whatsoever. Her mother and sisters had never understood her curiosity and fascination about the male species, especially of the mortal sort. To them, men were superfluous, weak, and a source of trouble best avoided.

After getting to know both Tony Stark and Bruce Wayne, Diana could not disagree more. Her invincibility aside, she was drawn to them because of their tenaciousness even in the face of mortality. Both were in possession of noble hearts, ready to step in the line of fire to protect others no matter the outcome. To her, they were true warriors with the right set of virtues.

As expected, Bruce Wayne was downright skeptical about their offer at first. While Tony had never made a secret out of his bisexuality, he had remained unsure whether Bruce was equally inclined or not. Thanks to Diana's strong female intuition, a bit of planning, and a lazy summer BBQ evening at Tony's Malibu estate, Bruce finally allowed himself to be comfortable with Diana curled in his lap and Tony's lips on his.

That had been 10 months ago. And before Tony went and nearly got himself killed by an armada of aliens and a wormhole high up in the skies over New York tonight. Diana had been there as well; her immeasurable strength the perfect counterbalance against the forces from an outer planet. Thanks to her interference, things had taken a turn for the better, and New York was saved, as was Iron Man.

Still, Bruce was livid.

Diana understood him, and while he was angry at them both, she also knew Bruce could never be as mad at her the way he was mad at Tony and his crazy heroics. In truth, her pulse had also skyrocketed the moment she realized what Tony was about to do, wanting to sacrifice himself for mankind. As soon as she had made sure of his wellbeing, she knew they had to make amends, and went to see about timely damage control.

While Tony had chosen to stay behind in his tower in Manhattan to sulk about the damage done to the building and even more to sulk at being yelled at over the phone by his boyfriend, Diana had chosen to drive to Gotham instead of flying over to give Bruce a little time to cool off. Once she had rolled onto the large driveway in front of the well-known Victorian estate, Diana grabbed her phone and keys and locked the Mercedes.

She craned her neck and saw how most of the manor lying in darkness, but there was light behind a few windows. Certain that Bruce already knew about her arrival, Diana was not surprised to be greeted by Alfred Pennyworth in the foyer. “Your Highness.” He indicated a bow and moved to take her jacket with a gentle, friendly expression. Diana smiled back and hurried to hand him her overcoat. "Good evening, Alfred. Thank you."

An oversized, washed-out MIT hoodie sat underneath, courtesy of yet another raid of one of the many closets of her boyfriends she had access to. She also had not bothered with fancy heels tonight and chose to dress in leisure denim and sneakers; face plain and her hair up in a ponytail.

“Let me guess: The cave?” 

Something like fatherly concern flitted over the butler's face.

“The weight room.”

She nodded her thanks and followed suit as Alfred escorted her towards the grand staircase. “Should you be able to get him out of his sanctuary, there are sandwiches in the fridge.” Her face softened. “I'll do my best.” Now Alfred nodded. “Will Master Anthony be joining as well?” Worry was swinging within his question. He, too, had witnessed the dramatic incidents in New York via TV. Diana gave what she hoped was a reassuring smile.

“Yes, he will be here in a while. I think your breakfast vanilla waffles are the main reason he agreed to fly over.”

The butler inclined his head, subtle relief written all over his features.

“I shall see to it in the morning. Good evening, Your Highness.”

~

Even from outside the private gym, Diana could hear the clink of heavy weights and the occasional male grunt of exertion. She poked her head around the ajar door and found him in the middle of an interchanging set of deadlifts and back rows with a heavily-loaded barbell. Diana leaned a shoulder against the door frame and watched him work for a while. When he finally dropped the bar, the whole floor shuddered from the impact.

“I'm busy.”

Bruce remained standing with his back towards her, his voice gruff. She watched his muscles strain against the sweat-stained fabric of his shirt as he reached up to wipe an arm over his forehead. “I'll be upstairs. Remember it is impolite to keep a lady waiting.” With that, she pushed herself off the door frame and headed for the kitchen. After loading up a tray with sandwiches and isotonic drinks, Diana moved into the master bedroom.

Once it had become clear that the thing between them was not a short-lived flight of fancy, Bruce had seen to revamp his private quarters to accommodate two more people, so that whenever they stayed in Gotham, there were enough spare clothes and sanitary items of individual preference available. It still amazed Diana how easy the transition between them had been, and how frail things actually were after today's incident.

She was scrolling through her phone when she heard footsteps approach. She kept her eyes on the screen when Bruce entered the bedroom and headed for the elegantly furnished, built-in closet to the left. He collected fresh clothes before shutting the doors with more force than necessary.

“Came to make sure the weakest link doesn't feel left out?"

The bitterness in his voice made her raise her head. Bruce was drenched as if he had already taken a shower fully clothed. She put her phone aside.

“You are a fool if you think that."

He walked past her, heading for the bathroom en suite.

"I'm a fool alright, that's true."

There was a telltale whoosh outside, and Bruce's mouth curved downward.

“No.”

She unfolded her legs and got up.

“Yes. I want him here and so do you.”

Bruce thundered at her as she walked over to open the doors to the large patio. He was gone by the time Tony had dismantled and followed her inside. When he leaned in for a kiss, he smelled of shower gel, liquor, and the familiar tang of ozone Diana associated with his iron suits. “Hi, honey.” It came out mumbled as his lips brushed against hers, goatee tickling her skin, before his eyes darted around the otherwise empty room.

“Sir Mope-A-Lot's not here?”

Diana tilted her chin towards the bathroom before she took in his appearance. Tony wore a black leather jacket, shirt, and washed out denims. His right eye was framed by a dark purplish discoloration and Diana cupped his cheek to run a gentle thumb over the cheekbone below. “Have you seen a doctor? Taken medicine?” Tony nuzzled into her touch with a smirk. “Nothing a shot of bourbon or two couldn't fix. I'm Iron Man, remember?”

His flippancy made her tap at his cheek in rebuke. The usually neat line of his goatee was starting to show signs of stubble after a long day. “We've talked about this.” Before Tony could answer, a dark voice from behind cut in. “As if that ever amounts to anything with him.” Both turned around. Standing in the doorway of the bathroom, freshly-showered and dressed in slacks and a t-shirt, Bruce glared at them, towel balled in a fist. 

“I can't believe you have the guts to call me while flying a nuke into space. What the hell is wrong with you?”

Tony withdrew from Diana's embrace and spread his arms in a challenging manner. “Oh, knock it off, B.” The abrupt motion made him wince and he palmed his ribs. Bruce's sinister glare deepened. “You should be in a hospital.” Tony lifted his chin in defiance. It emphasized a multitude of cuts and abrasions on his jaw. “I should be many things, but then again, you're the one to talk, Mister 'It's just a scratch'.”

Bruce's lips thinned out as he threw the towel aside. "I don't go and hurl myself into space for fuck's sake." Unbeknownst to them, Diana's eyebrow arched. Hearing Bruce cursing out loud was a rarity. Tony sneered as much as his mangled face allowed him to and put his arms akimbo.

"And it's a good thing you don't. You're running out of uninjured places on your body anyhow."

Bruce's strong arms came up to protect his chest as his face shut down in a matter of seconds. "Maybe you're better off without me then." Diana rolled her eyes. "Stop. Right now." Mutual mulishness erupted, though they did not attempt to insult each other further. She knew each of them harbored their own insecurities, and while Tony hid his behind a snarky facade and cocky one-liners, Bruce withdrew and brooded.

For a brief moment, Diana regretted not bringing her lasso along, but then again, the three of them had an agreement never to use their powers against each other. With a sigh of pure exasperation, she took Tony by the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him closer, over to where Bruce stood.

“I believe you've worded it wrong.”

She pointed at Tony. “I think you wanted to say 'Sorry I went and put myself in unnecessary danger' while you”, her finger traveled over to Bruce's deprecating stance and expression. “Meant to say 'Don't ever do something like that again while I can't be there for you'.” They averted each other's gaze for what felt like an eternity. Eventually though, Tony stopped gnawing on his bottom lip and sniffed. “Guess I can work with that.”

When Bruce lunged for him, it was forceful even though his embrace was tender, as were his fingers that traced the outlines of Tony's black eye. “Damn idiot. Do that again and I'll-” The rest of his sentence drowned in Tony's mouth. At the way they clung to each other, Diana was quick to close the distance. She wrapped herself around Tony, cheek against his back and her hands around Bruce's arms in a silent, grounding presence.

That night, after sandwiches and isotonic drinks in bed, they fell asleep with Tony in their midst.

**Author's Note:**

> In case anyone's interested, these are a couple of the vids that greatly inspired this fic. Much love and kudos to the talented creators! 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6b594YTZ75M  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwalvWl4yXE  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NP4ONaium-k
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fA6FF2Wthaw
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJekDBFTAcU


End file.
